Viral spicy salmon sushi bake is what happens when someone decided to deconstruct sushi rolls and turn them into a casserole format that you can scoop with seaweed instead of rolling individual pieces. I made this after seeing it flood my TikTok feed and honestly thought it would be one of those internet recipes that looks better than it tastes. I was completely wrong – viral spicy salmon sushi bake is genuinely delicious and way easier than making actual sushi.
Viral spicy salmon sushi bake features layers of seasoned sushi rice, creamy spicy salmon mixture, and a mayo-sriracha topping that gets broiled until bubbly and slightly charred. You serve it with roasted seaweed sheets for scooping – basically deconstructed spicy salmon rolls that you assemble yourself at the table. The rice gets slightly crispy on the edges, the salmon is creamy and spicy, and the communal aspect of everyone scooping from one dish makes it fun party food.
Best part? Viral spicy salmon sushi bake requires zero sushi-making skills. No rolling, no precise knife work, no shaping perfect rice logs. Just layer ingredients in a baking dish, bake, broil, and serve. If you can make a casserole, you can make this.
Why Viral Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake Beats Regular Sushi
Regular spicy salmon rolls require sushi rice technique, proper rolling with a bamboo mat, and a sharp knife to cut clean pieces. Viral spicy salmon sushi bake eliminates all those technical requirements. The flavors are the same – sushi rice, spicy salmon, seaweed – but the format is infinitely more approachable for home cooks.
I made viral spicy salmon sushi bake for a casual dinner party and people loved the interactive element of building their own scoops. One friend who’s intimidated by sushi rolls said “this is how sushi should always be served.” When your recipe converts sushi skeptics, you’ve found something special.
Here’s why you need viral spicy salmon sushi bake:
- All the sushi flavors without the rolling difficulty
- The communal serving makes it fun party food
- Crispy rice edges add texture regular sushi doesn’t have
- Way cheaper than ordering sushi for a group
- Easy to scale up for crowds
- Looks impressive but is secretly simple
Plus viral spicy salmon sushi bake works for people who claim they “can’t make sushi at home.” This isn’t sushi, it’s a casserole inspired by sushi. If you can follow layering instructions, you’re qualified :/
What You Need for Viral Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake
For the Sushi Rice Layer
Rice:
- Sushi rice or short-grain rice (3 cups uncooked – makes about 6 cups cooked)
- Water (for cooking rice)
Seasoning:
- Rice vinegar (¼ cup)
- Sugar (2 tablespoons)
- Salt (1 teaspoon)
- Furikake seasoning (2 tablespoons – optional but adds authentic flavor)
Why sushi rice matters: Short-grain rice gets sticky enough to hold together when scooping. Long-grain rice won’t work – it’ll fall apart.
For the Spicy Salmon Layer
Salmon:
- Fresh salmon (1 lb – sushi-grade if eating raw, or cooked)
- Or canned salmon (two 14.75 oz cans – drained well)
- Or imitation crab as alternative
Spicy Mayo Mix:
- Kewpie mayo (½ cup – Japanese mayo is creamier than American)
- Sriracha (2-3 tablespoons – adjust for spice preference)
- Soy sauce (1 tablespoon)
- Sesame oil (1 teaspoon)
- Rice vinegar (1 teaspoon)
Mix-Ins:
- Cream cheese (4 oz softened – optional but makes it extra creamy)
- Diced cucumber (½ cup – for crunch)
- Diced avocado (1 – add just before serving so it doesn’t brown)
- Edamame (½ cup – optional protein boost)
Why Kewpie mayo is different: It’s richer, slightly sweeter, and made with rice vinegar. Regular mayo works but Kewpie is more authentic.
For the Topping
Creamy Layer:
- Kewpie mayo (½ cup)
- Sriracha (2 tablespoons)
- Mix together for drizzling
Garnish:
- Furikake seasoning (for sprinkling)
- Sesame seeds (black and white)
- Sliced green onions
- Nori strips or sheets (for serving and scooping)
- Pickled ginger (optional)
- Wasabi (optional)
For Serving
Essential:
- Roasted seaweed sheets (nori) – cut into quarters for scooping
- Soy sauce (for drizzling)
Optional Additions:
- Tobiko or masago (fish roe for authentic touch)
- Spicy mayo in squeeze bottle (for drizzling)
- Crispy fried onions or garlic (for crunch)
- Sliced jalapeños (for extra heat)
Equipment You Actually Need
- Rice cooker or pot for cooking rice
- 9×13 baking dish
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
- Broiler
- Aluminum foil
How to Make Viral Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake
Step 1: Cook and Season the Rice
Cook sushi rice according to package directions – usually 1:1 ratio rice to water. Rice cooker makes this foolproof.
While rice cooks, mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in small bowl. Microwave 30 seconds to dissolve sugar.
When rice is done, transfer to large bowl. Pour seasoning mixture over hot rice. Gently fold to combine using cutting motion – don’t stir vigorously or rice gets mushy.
Let rice cool to room temperature. You can spread it on a baking sheet to cool faster.
Critical tip: Season rice while still hot so it absorbs vinegar mixture. Cold rice won’t absorb properly.
Step 2: Prepare the Salmon Mixture
If using raw salmon: Dice into small pieces (¼ inch cubes). Or pulse in food processor for minced texture.
If using canned salmon: Drain really well, pressing out excess liquid. Remove skin and large bones if present. Flake with fork.
In a bowl, mix salmon with Kewpie mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar. Stir until well combined.
If using cream cheese, add it now and mix until creamy.
Fold in diced cucumber and edamame if using. Save avocado for after baking.
Taste and adjust – more sriracha for spice, more mayo for creaminess, more soy for salt.
Pro tip: The salmon mixture should be creamy but not soupy. If too wet, it’ll make everything soggy.
Step 3: Layer in Baking Dish
Preheat oven to 375°F.
Spray 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
Press seasoned sushi rice into bottom of dish in even layer. Pack it down firmly – you want it compressed so it holds together.
Sprinkle furikake seasoning over rice layer if using.
Spread salmon mixture evenly over rice layer. Use spatula to smooth it out.
Layering order matters: Rice on bottom provides structure. Salmon in middle stays moist. Topping gets crispy.
Step 4: Add Topping and Bake
Mix Kewpie mayo with sriracha for topping. Drizzle or spread over salmon layer. It should cover most of the surface but doesn’t need to be perfectly even.
Cover dish with aluminum foil.
Bake covered for 15-20 minutes until heated through and bubbling at edges.
Remove foil. Increase oven to broil.
Broil 3-5 minutes until top is bubbly, golden brown, and slightly charred in spots. Watch carefully – it goes from perfect to burnt fast.
Viral spicy salmon sushi bake should be hot throughout with crispy browned spots on top.
Step 5: Garnish and Serve
Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes – it’s molten hot straight from broiler.
Sprinkle with furikake, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions. Add tobiko if using.
If adding avocado, dice it now and scatter over top.
Serve hot with roasted seaweed sheets on the side cut into quarters.
To eat: Scoop a portion onto a piece of seaweed, fold like a taco, and eat. Or just eat with a spoon – no judgment.
Serve with soy sauce, pickled ginger, and wasabi on the side for drizzling/dipping.
Viral spicy salmon sushi bake is best served immediately while hot and crispy. Leftovers keep in fridge for 2 days but rice gets hard when cold.
Creative Variations Worth Trying
Spicy Tuna Sushi Bake
Use canned tuna instead of salmon. Mix with same spicy mayo mixture. Budget-friendly version that’s still delicious.
California Roll Sushi Bake
Use imitation crab, add diced cucumber and avocado. Top with tobiko. All the California roll flavors in bake form.
Unagi (Eel) Sushi Bake
Use cooked unagi (eel) from Asian grocery. Drizzle with unagi sauce instead of spicy mayo. More authentic Japanese flavor.
Volcano Roll Sushi Bake
Add diced jalapeños to salmon mixture. Top with extra sriracha. Spicy heat level cranked way up.
Vegetarian Sushi Bake
Skip fish. Use diced cucumber, avocado, carrot, edamame, and tofu. Top with same spicy mayo. Plant-based but still tasty.
Tempura Sushi Bake
Add panko breadcrumbs mixed with butter to top before broiling. Creates crunchy tempura-like coating. Extra texture.
Viral Spicy Salmon Sushi Bake
Equipment
- Rice cooker or pot
- Mixing bowls
- 9×13 baking dish
- Spatula
- Aluminum foil
- Broiler
Ingredients
- 3 cups uncooked sushi or short-grain rice
- Water (as needed to cook rice)
- 0.25 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp furikake seasoning (optional)
- 1 lb salmon (sushi-grade raw, cooked, or canned)
- 0.5 cup Kewpie mayo
- 2 tbsp sriracha (plus more for topping)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 4 oz cream cheese (optional, softened)
- 0.5 cup diced cucumber
- 0.5 cup edamame (optional)
- 1 avocado (diced, added after baking)
- 0.5 cup Kewpie mayo (for topping)
- 2 tbsp sriracha (for topping)
- sesame seeds (for garnish)
- sliced green onions (for garnish)
- furikake seasoning (for garnish)
- roasted seaweed sheets (nori), quartered
- soy sauce (for serving)
Instructions
- Cook sushi rice according to package directions using a 1:1 water ratio. Once done, transfer to a bowl.
- Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Microwave 30 seconds to dissolve sugar. Fold gently into hot rice. Let cool to room temperature.
- Dice or flake salmon depending on type. Mix with Kewpie mayo, sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and cream cheese if using.
- Fold in diced cucumber and edamame. Save avocado for after baking.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Press seasoned rice into 9×13 dish. Sprinkle furikake over rice. Spread salmon mixture evenly on top.
- Mix mayo and sriracha topping. Drizzle or spread over salmon. Cover dish with foil and bake for 15–20 minutes until hot and bubbling.
- Remove foil, switch to broil. Broil 3–5 minutes until topping is golden and slightly charred. Watch closely!
- Remove from oven, cool 5 mins. Garnish with green onions, sesame, furikake, tobiko, and avocado. Serve with seaweed and soy sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular mayo instead of Kewpie?
You can but it won’t taste quite the same. Kewpie is richer and slightly sweet. If using regular mayo, add tiny bit of sugar to mimic Kewpie.
My rice is mushy – what did I do wrong?
Used too much water when cooking or stirred too vigorously when seasoning. Sushi rice should be sticky but still have distinct grains.
Is it safe to use raw salmon for this?
Only if it’s sushi-grade salmon that’s been frozen to kill parasites. Most grocery store salmon isn’t safe to eat raw. Use cooked or canned salmon to be safe.
The bottom layer is soggy – how do I prevent this?
Make sure salmon mixture isn’t too wet. Drain canned salmon really well. Also pack rice layer firmly so liquid doesn’t seep through.
Can I make viral spicy salmon sushi bake ahead?
Assemble up to the baking step and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Bake when ready to serve. Don’t bake ahead – it’s best fresh and hot.
My topping didn’t get golden brown – why?
Broiler wasn’t hot enough or dish was too far from heating element. Make sure oven is fully preheated on broil and place dish on top rack.
Can I freeze this?
Not recommended. The rice texture gets weird when frozen and thawed. The creamy components separate. This is best made fresh.
